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He shook as though within her grip, violently shaken, in the light, before collapsing to the floor; dead. As the light from the KahesnaChe died back, she felt Nathan squeeze her hand. She gently squeezed it back, sensing his intrepidation at what had happened. Until now, not having witnessed the full power of the bio weapon ? She whispers soft to him, telling him to stay put. ‘Remove him from my sight!’ Minutes later courtesans had his body removed.
“Those who seek to disobey their Princess and her Ka Absolute, heir to the throne of Fendiq, witness my punishment and the judgement of the gods! I do not ask, by Royal priviledge, I DEMAND; your
allegiance !” She sat back on the seat and brought Nathan to her side. “ Pay homage to your Haphketsut Princess Cistera and her Ka Absolute.”
One by one they moved forward and dropped to their knees bowing muttering the words “Chxe du ypeqea ca solq e te deska.” (We honour and obey till death us part.) Some fifty or so later Cistera stopped them and made the rest of them much to Nathan’s relief bow before them and give oath as a group! Done, he thought, ‘Een masse’ as he sighed with some relief, much quicker.
Whilst the ceremony of allegiance was in progress Tan Jerira and Ana had been busy carrying out their previous instructions. Leaving the chamber, slipping behind the courtesans, they exited out to explore the vessel. There were a few Nketsu who kept their heads bowed ,stopping until they had finished looking. They left them preparing a huge banquet in one of the main rooms.
A converted cargo hold thought Tan. It was time to split up, each of them taking an armed ‘invader class’ gok with them. Jes came across the huge area where some 40 Kets (Children) of varying ages all clean tidy and smart in appearance were sat around a screen. They had been watching it, party to all that had happened? Some of them were looking upset by what they had seen!
One Ket moved to block her as they all bar one Ket lying in a corner moved back tightly bunched
together, showing signs of fear. Jes spoke softly to him ‘Ca che etjo ei siq rrrqemsq sto etrorus wezqetu ?’ surprised at her fluent command of their native tongue, she continued to talk telling them they had nothing to fear.
She took time to explain what had happened and WHY?! It was important that they understood that some who defy the rules of protocol and tradition are often only doing so to bolster their own self esteem at the expense of others. That included their own greed.
Luckily for Jes, some of the Kets already knew what DoCahanestoba was like. His bullying of their own kin, his harsh treatment of some of the Kets? Maybe he had gotten his just deserts! Jes played her ace card, would they like to meet their and she emphasized their, Haphketsut Princess Cistera with her Ka Absolute to be blessed by them?
They were soon conversing loudly with each other then the male Ket turned to her and the decision was a unanimous yes. They formed a group outside the hatch door in the corridor until only Jes plus a male Ket and the figure in the corner were left.
He would not leave but stood next to the figure, a young female Ket of some 10 Earth years, small thin and Jes noticed bruised and beaten? She knelt down and then spoke trying not to alarm the male Ket, into a small disc which she raised from her side in front of her mouth talking into it.
“Liana” “Yes Jes” “Send me over a Medisent with medipack rr492w3 series” Within parsecs it was standing there. The male Ket was alarmed at the sudden appearance of it, in front of them. She took his hand and stood back with him as the Medisent Fesling, examined the female Ket.
“No broken bones but severe bruising and trauma, some degree of pain still evident. No bleeding detected. This Ket is from Fendiq mistress’ It proceeded to give her a load of other information commenting on the Ket’s weight as requiring attention and the fact that she had an illness. Commonly found in deep space, but not on Fendiq?
Jes instructed immediate use of counter treatment and a chemical release to restore her chemical balance which was according to the Medisent causing the Ket severe disorientation. “Instructions complied with mistress, may I be of any other service mistress?”
“Can she be moved safely ?” “Factoring conclusions, a few moments mistress for the chemical balance and the drugs to start taking effect, mistress she will be fully orientated within the minutes BUT this Ket will remain, for some time, too weak to walk.”
‘You may go sentient ‘ ‘Understood mistress’ Jes added a thankyou which was never understood by goks or sentients but she always said it it just seemed right !The Ket moved opening her eyes, for the first time, the male Ket; exclaimed in days ! She tried to move, with a lot of difficulty, could not stand. Jes stopped her from trying to rise to her feet. Talking to her softly in her own language, comforting her.
She needed to tell her why she had been examined by the Medisent. The Ket had glanced past her and muttered to the male Ket asking where the others were? Before Jes could answer the male had told her what was going on. ‘Please don’t leave me’ she begged Jes.
‘Please! I want to meet our Haphketsut Princess and her Ka.’ Jes smiled “You will, but first lets attend to you, wash and change you. She summoned another Festling with some clothing, asked the male Ket to wait outside, He looked at the girl. “Go on.” She whispered.
He left, still looking at her as he closed the hatchway. The Festling carried out a gentle cleansing operation and then replaced her clothing. Jes applied some cream to the bruises taking away some of the discolouration. “There! Now you will look as beautiful as any of the others and I will carry you.”
If Jes had had her hands full and occupied, elsewhere others too were busy. Tan was walking along one of the many corridors. Seeing ahead of her a hatchway that led into another holding area. There was a chamber at the end, with some noise coming from it, voices !
Approaching carefully she opened the hatch. Inside were several smaller bays with security shields
activated, preventing the occupants from leaving them. Two figures were stood at the end of the room..
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